VIEW from behind the plow

The Sunday and this edition are the Times and Free Press’ annual Christmas greetings editions – when local businesses send out their wishes for customers to have a great Christmas holiday.

We plan to read each message.

We likewise extend our heartiest wishes for all to enjoy a wonderful Christmas season with friends and relatives.

It also marks a time for us to reflect on the reason for Christmas.

We don’t understand why the tradition began for Christmas to be celebrated at this time of year.

Questions about the Christmas Story

The birth of Jesus Christ likely occurred in the early spring. The story says the angels announced Christ’s birth to shepherds watching their fl ocks by night in the fi eld.

If it had occurred in the winter season the sheep would have been penned and not on pasture.

The report that the birth was announced to shepherds – the lowest order in the Jewish caste system –might be surprising but also indicative.

Rather than alerting the rulers of the land, the message came to those in greatest need. Shepherds couldn’t testify in court they were so lowly.

The selection of Mary to be the mother of the world’s savior also seems unlikely. She was just a kid – maybe 14 years old.

An internet site gives this explanation:

Mary’s record is brief among that of Sarah, Esther, Naomi, Ruth, or Hannah. Simply, Mary fell into favor with God as He extended His grace to this young woman.

Referring to another member of the Christmas story cast, Gabriel, it states, “When the archangel shared God’s promise of a son, the aged temple priest, Zechariah, doubted God (Luke 1:18). Zechariah is struck mute. Yet, with faith, young Mary, humbly receives Gabriel’s great proclamation, and responds, “May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). Mary’s song, “The Magnifi cat,” reflects the intimate acquaintance that she had with God.”

The site also mentions the unique aspects of the Christmas story, commenting what’s wrong with this picture:

In the world that God created, there was no room for Him at the inn or anywhere. To have “God with us,” the God-Child entered the world in a place where few would even notice.

Christ’s birth not welcomed by all

God’s return to His creation wasn’t “good news” to everyone. No ruler was willing to abdicate his throne. No palace opened its gates to welcome the King of Kings or Prince of Peace.

• God, who is omnipotent, omnipresent, and all-righteous, longed to touch everyone -- the beggar, the prostitute, the leper – presenting Himself, a helpless infant, “lying in a manger.” Common folks can never visit the palace of a newborn king, uninvited. But kings and princes can visit mangers.

• There is difference for those who choose to accept the original Bible Christmas story, allowing it to transform their lives. The Nativity scene isn’t designed to put us into a festive “holiday mood.” It should stir us to the very depth of our souls. How will we respond to the Divine Designer of the universe who sacrificed everything to bring us back into a relationship with Him? Take away the decorations, presents, and the food . . . the story is still there. It is still true and our joy is still great! (John 3:16).

And as Tiny Tim says in the Christmas dinner prayer in Dickens’ Christmas story “God bless us, every one.”

Amen and amen.

‘I hope I don’t hate this’ (gift)

As we read these lines, we think of Christmastime when we were young and how excited we got when the mailman left packages in our rural mailbox. Our grandmother, Nellie Smith of Weatherford, never forgot us.

We didn’t hear much about Santa Claus – or the Christmas story, either, at our home. A big Christmas dinner with visiting family was the usual highlight.

Christmas also reminds us of our grandson, Nathan’s, response (about age 6) when he was feeling a package that was obviously a shirt: “I hope I don’t hate this.”

As we remember, little Nate wasn’t extremely pleased. He’d rather had a toy.